1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cleaning brushes, and, more specifically, to such brushes that are used for sanitary applications wherein a user may be reluctant to touch the brush end after use, e.g. after toilet cleaning. More specifically, the present invention cleaning brush has a releasable, disposable head with a release mechanism which is operated remotely from the brush head.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The following patents illustrate various brush arrangements that show the state of the art:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,247,526 describes a mirror, brush or similar construction, a frame and handle assemblage to receive a mirror or brush element comprising a split resilient sheet metal channel rim and U-shaped cross section constituting the periphery of the frame, a separate handle member having a throat portion connected to said frame at the split in said channel rim, a backing member having an enlarged portion of the same shape and outline as the mirror and back of the brush element, the edges of said mirror or brush element and said backing member being tightly held within said channel rim and between the side flanges and drawn tightly up and resiliently wedged between said side flanges, said handle member being provided with an axial bore adjacent the frame and said backing member being provided with a threaded extension extending into said bore, said handle member being laterally pierced and said piercing being provided with parallel upper and lower faces and an elongated nut member fitted into said piercing also having upper and lower parallel end faces closely abutting the faces of said piercing and threaded upon said threaded extension and serving to draw up said handle upon said frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,516,778 describes a having a body portion having an integral circular plate head and an elongate flat solid handle portion, a central depression in the inner face of said head, a central opening in the outer face of said head communicating with said depression, a circular plate member threadably secured to said head within said depression, an annular shoulder on the outer marginal edge of said plate member, said shoulder adapted to engage the inner face of the head, to limit the movement of said plate member to form said central depression as a chamber within the head, said central opening in the outer face of said head being connected with said chamber, and sealing means about said central opening in the outer face of said head, truncated conical openings in said circular plate member, truncated conical plugs in said truncated conical openings, bristle tufts carried by said plugs, and central bores in said plugs within said tufts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,015 describes a paint applicator having an essentially cylindrical paint container serving as a handle and formed of a resilient material, a threaded cap closing the container, a paint applicating head and a conduit connecting the applicating head to the paint container. The applicating head includes a metal plate affixed to the conduit and having an opening for the supply of paint, a layer of sponge-like material overlying the plate, a porous layer having a nap on one surface overlying the sponge-like material and a paint impervious layer covering at least the top edge of the sponge-like material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,516 describes a brush that includes a movable handle in the form of nippers and head having a housing at least on one side, sized for receiving the handle. The latter is made up of two rods of equal length joined together at one of their ends and secured to the head by a set of notches and detents provided in the housing and the free ends of the handle. Securing of the handle to the head is obtained by latching of the detents in the notches. Such a brush is particularly advantageous inasmuch as it makes it extremely simple to replace the head by another one having identical or different size or shape.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,182 describes a device having a removable insert such as a brush, massage element or pad for applying lotions, medicines, and the like to human body. The device includes an elongated handle having a receptacle end provided with opposed inwardly facing grooves. The removable inserts are generally rectangular in shape and include integral spring biased tabs at the sides thereof. Each tab is provided with a locking stud that is received in a correspondingly shaped recess in the grooves. Each insert may include a brush, massage element, or disposable pad.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,328 describes a multi-purpose toiletry article which comprises: a long, rigid, plastic handle; a preferably oval rigid, plastic support head mounted in fixed or pivotal relationship at one end of such handle; and a removable fastener to removable and interchangeably affix one of a multiple of oval working members to said oval support head.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,471,697 relates to a cleaning device for cleaning various surfaces, such as the surfaces in and about a toilet, the device comprising a shaft defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end adapted to be held by a user to manipulate the device; and a water soluble brush releasably fitted on the distal end of the shaft, wherein the brush is configured to dissolve in water. In a preferred embodiment of the device, the shaft is constructed of a water soluble material.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,243 describes a plastic tool with a handle and trigger at one end and a pair of jaws (one of which is moveable) at the other end which are inserted into a biodegradable paper cleaning pad filled with cleaning/disinfectant and/or deodorant materials. The lower jaw of the tool is moveable by way of a trigger near the handle. When depressed the trigger compresses a lock spring and moves an actuator rod down the barrel which operates a hinge to open the jaws far enough to be inserted into the cleaning pad. The open jaws surround a paper tab which forms the center of the double-walled cleaning envelope. On the release of the trigger the coil operating spring decompresses and moves the actuator rod back towards the handle locking the jaws over the center tab of the cleaning pad. Facilitated by a nominal 15-degree bend in the barrel of the cleaning tool and the flexible tip of the cleaning pad, the cleaning tool can reach all surfaces within the toilet to clean the unit. The soiled and used cleaning pad is disposed of by pointing the tools toward the toilet bowl and again squeezing the trigger, which causes the jaws to open and permits the used cleaning pad to drop into the toilet bowl to be flushed away.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,307 describes a kit for aiding in the drying and curling of hair that has a plurality of brushes which may be twisted into the hair and allowed to remain for a period of time to set a curl. Each of the brushes has a connector to which a handle can be removably attached such that a single handle can be used with all of the brushes in the kit.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,094,771 describes the WC cleaner that has a wipe which takes the form of a disposable wipe which is detachably retained on handle, off which it can be pushed. To this end the handle ahs an internal push-rod which is disposed displaceably in a continuous longitudinal bore in handle. After using the WC cleaner, the wipe can be pushed off by pushing the push-rod inside handle down so that it pushes the wipe out of the device holding it on the handle. The disposable wipe is flushed through the WC into the drainage system in the same way as WC paper. The storage device for the disposable wipes consists of a container which is open at the top and has a weighted base. The disposable wipes are stored stacked inside the container.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,463,620 B2 describes a brush assembly, such as for cleaning and sanitizing toilet bowls, having a removable and disposable applicator head. The brush assembly comprises an elongated handle with a broadening diverging end and an applicator head for removable attachment thereto. Dual locking means for the applicator head are provided, where the locking means may be manually released without having to physically handle a soiled applicator head.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. U.S. 2004/0129296 A1 describes a cleaning apparatus including a substantially hollow tubular body having a bore extending therein, actuation means operably coupled to the body and including a plunger disposed within the body and a cleaning head detachably coupled to the body, wherein actuation of the plunger ejects the cleaning head from the body.
Notwithstanding the prior art, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious thereby.